Captain Bilal Zafar Shaheed

6 years back at his passing out parade at the PMA, one phrase that really captured my mind was” Men are Men, when the honor is kept”. Today, I can with pride say that not only did he understood it, but when the time came, he rose up to the occasion. A decorated SSG commando, a caring son, a source of pride for his siblings and above all, an extra ordinary human being, Bilal was killed on the morning of May 17th, 2009, at 5.30am by a direct rocket strike.Bullets can never harm me, this is what he used to say, and in the end this was the case. He has gone to the grave with the honor that his Shahadat came only after, he and his team of 50 chosen soldier, had completed the task that was assigned to them. The same task was unfinished even after 7 days of aerial and ground assaults. He was the only causality of the operation, which shows how much Bilal was devoted to this cause. I am here to make all the sisters, mothers and daughters of Pakistan affirm that thousands like Bilal are out there, fighting till the last breath of thier life, to secure our future. At his burial, I could easily see that every one, no matter from what profession, were all out to play their part. Whether it’s the aid of IDPs or the honesty to our own profession, every one can be a Bilal.To the enemies of the state, thier “devil agencies” and the mercenary armies of thugs and bandits, it’s a loud call that you cannot hijack this land of pure, Pakistan. No matter what you do, we will not allow you to play with the vision of Quaid and the dream of Iqbal. We will not go into history as a fail state, and a country which has sons like Bilal, no empire or imperial power can dare think about it.To BILAL, you will always remain close to us, and all those whom you have blessed with your presence.You will always live, and will get what Allah has promised for those, who are killed in his path.Ameen.